The Way to the Highest Honor, Sermon

The Way to the Highest Honor · Sermon

p. 1A SERMON PREACHED in the Abbey Church of Weſtminſter before the Houſe of Peers, on the 24. day of February, 1646.

1. SAM. 2.30.

For them that honour me, I will honour, and they that deſpiſe me, ſhall be lightly eſteemed.

GOD hath made of one bloud, all Nations, that dwell upon the face of the whole earth: All men are equall in their originall, in their creation, Adam, and in their fall Enoſh: there was in neither, foreign, the great, eminent, and honourable man. Only God makes the difference, and appoints one veſſeſt to honour, and another to diſhonour, heere as well as heereafter. Pſ. 75.6.7.Ps 75:6Ps 75:7Promotion commeth neither from the Eaſt, nor from the Weſt, nor from the p. 2South, Pſal 82 6. Jo. 10 35. Omnis poteſtas eſt à ſumena poteſtate. Aug. Principis ſolius jus eſt minuere vel augere valorem monetae. Gr. Tholoſſan. Syntag Iur is. l. 36. c. 2. S. 26. & de repub. l. 9. S. 31.Ps 82:6John 10:35he pulleth downe one, and ſetteth up another. It is becauſe he hath ſayd, Yee are Gods, and his word of Command and Commiſſion comes to you. To ſet the value upon Coine is reckoned inter Regalia, to cauſe money to riſe or fall at pleaſure: it is Gods prerogative royall to exalt the value of one man above another: to honour ſome, as gold amongſt the duſt of the earth: or as diamonds amongſt the ſtones of the field: not for any thing in themſelves, but through the excellency that he puts upon them: the rainebow for the matter of it is but a common vapour, Ariſt. l. 3. Met… l. cap. 3.an ordinary cloud, only it hath its excellency from the Sunne which enamels it.

This difference put by God betweene man and man, is but for the time of this life at fartheſt: at death all theſe relations ſhall ceaſe, Job 3.19. Anguſtus emicos pereuxct at us eſt. Eequid iis videret mimum vitae commodè tranſegiſſe. Sugton. in Auguſt. Gataker, Gods parley with Princes, p. 90.Job 3:19Death levels all: the ſmall and the great are there, and the ſervan… is free from his maſter: There the ſcepter and the ſpade are equall: the nobles robes, and the beggers ragges, are layd downe together. This life is fitly compared to a Play, a well acted fable, where one acts the part of a Prince, another of a peaſant. Or to Counters, where while the account laſts, one ſtands for a pound, another for a peny: but the Play ended, and the account paſt, there remaines no difference nor impreſſion of any of their former honours.A Dee ſunt omnes patestates, quamvis …b illo enim ſind omnes voluntates. Aug. de civd. 5. c. 8.

This honour is conferred upon ſome by providence, and ſome by promiſe; all have a Commiſſion from God, but ſome an approbation: ſome are exalted in mercy, ſome in wrath: ſome in mercy to p. 3themſelves and the Kingdome where they live: ſo was Ioſeph advanced in Aegypt, and David to rule over the Common wealth of Iſrael, when Saul had almoſt ruined the Kingdome: for David after hee came to the Crowne ſaith; The land is weake, Pſal. 75.3. Moller. in loc.Ps 75:3and all the inhabitants thereof are diſſolved, I beare up the pillars thereof. Some in wrath, to themſelves and the Nation: ſo God rayſed up Pharaoh in Aegypt, that he might ſhew his power in him, and his honour proved a plague to himſelfe, and a ſcourge to the Kingdome: ſo God alſo advanced Saul in Iſrael, Exod. 9.16. Hoſe 13.11.Exod 9:16Hos 13:11gave them a King in his wrath, and tooke him away in his anger.

But when men are thus advanced by God, hee hath in this life reſerved to himſelfe a power of degradation; Auſt. homil. 14 Deponit Reges, diſponit regna. Dan. 2.21.Dan 2:21that no man can ſay he ſhall die in honour: Quod illo dante fit noſtrum nobis ſuperbientibus fit alienum. He changeth times and ſeaſons: hee removeth Kings, and ſetteth up Kings. Remove the Diademe and take away the Crowne, this ſhall not bee the ſame: exalt him that is low and abaſe him that is high, Ezech. 21.26. Magnus eſt Caeſar ſed Deo minor. Tertul. apol. c. 30.To the intent that the living may know, that the moſt high rules in the Kingdomes of mortall men, and gives them to whomſoever he will.

Now that your Honours may know the way to attaine true honour, (which is a great part of the ſtudy of thoſe that live in the upper end of the world) and that you may know how to preſerve it without blemiſh; Eccleſ. 10.….Eccl 10for honour above all things is quickly tainted, (as dead flies make the Apothecaries ointment to ſend forth a ſtinking ſavour, ſo doth a little folly him p. 4that is in reputation for wiſedome and honour:) And that ye may know whether God hath exalted you in mercy or in wrath to your ſelves and the Nation, the Text gives you a ſure rule and direction in them all; They that honour me I will honour, and they that deſpiſe me ſhalbe lightly eſteemed: for men can no more keepe their names, then they can keepe their ſoules.

In this whole verſe there are three things.

1. The Repetition of an ancient promiſe.

2. The Revocation of this promiſe.

3. The Reaſon thereof.

1. The promiſe (which God is never unmindfull of) I ſaid indeed that thy houſe and the houſe of thy Father ſhould walke before me for ever. This Interpreters conceive to refer to that ancient promiſe made unto the houſe of Aaron; Trmel. A Lap.upon whom the Lord did ſettle the Office of the Prieſthood, by a perpetuall Statute, Exod. 29.9. for wee reade of no particular promiſe made unto the Family of Ely. This promiſe of God was after this manner adminiſtred and diſpenced. Aron had foure ſonnes, two of them Nadab and Abihu dyed before their Father, by an immediate ſtroake of Gods hand. Lev 10.2.3. So when Aron dyed, the Prieſthood deſcended upon Eleazar the firſt borne, 1 Chron. 24.2. in his Family it continued for five ſucceſſions, 1 Chron. 6.4.5. and though it be not ſet downe in Scripture; Cur id factum ſuerit non ſatis ex Scripturis liquet. …. Mart. Ioſeph. An…q. l. 5. c. 12.yet doubtleſſe not without great and waighty cauſe the Lord did for a time lay this Family aſide. And he tranſlated the Prieſthood to the Family of Ithamar the yonger ſonne; Ely was the firſt of that Family that p. 5did weare the Ephod before the Lord, 1 Chron. 24.3. Torniellus anno mundi 2940 Pet. Mart. in 1. Sam. 14.3. & 21.2. Cornel. a Lap. in Numb. 25.13 & 1. Sam. 1.3. Sir W. Rawley hiſt. of the world, part. 1. l. 2. c. 15. S. 21 Sam 14:31 Sam 21:2Num 25:131 Sam 1:3in this Family it continued alſo for five ſucceſſions; till Abiathar, the laſt of that Houſe; Whom Solomon thruſt out from being a Prieſt unto the Lord, that he might fulfill the word of the Lord, which he ſpake concerning the Houſe of Ely in Shiloh. 1 Kin. 2.27. And Zadock was put into the Prieſthood in his roome, and ſo the honour returned againe to the Family of Eleazar. 1 Chro. 6.8. Thus when the Prieſthood had continued in the Family of Ely, (as is conceived) 120 yeeres; it was afterwards remooved in judgement, becauſe his ſonnes made themſelves vile; and he reſtrained them not.

2. The Revocation of this promiſe; But now the Lord ſaith be it farre from me; and this he doth with deteſtation and abhorring, as the word foreign doth ſignifie. But doth the Lord call back his words? Is there with the Holy One of Iſrael yea and nay? No ſurely, his counſell ſhall ſtand, and he will doe all his pleaſure; nothing can adde either Wiſdome or Power unto him, and therefore nothing can ariſe de novo to make him at different termes with himſelfe, he is without variableneſſe, and ſhadow of turning.

Wee are to conſider that the promiſes of God are of two ſorts, ſome abſolute, others conditionall: Abſolute promiſes are thoſe that the Lord hath undertaken to performe of his owne free grace, not onelyonly citra meritum, but alſo citra conditionem, without allſuppoſed or prerequired conditions in us; of this kinde are all thoſe great promiſes of the new Covenant; I will be thy God, I will give my Sonne, Gen. 17.7. and 3.15. Joel 2.28. Eſay 43.25.Gen 17:7Gen 3:15Joel 2:28Isa 43:25I will poure out my ſpirit. I, even I am he, who blotteth out p. 6your iniquities for my name ſake; Ezech. 11.19.Ezek 11:19I will take away the heart of ſtone and I will give a heart of fleſh; Jer. 31.33.Jer 31:33I will put my Law in your inward parts, and write it in your hearts; Hoſe. 14.4.Hos 14:4I will heale your backſlidings, and love you freely, for mine anger is turned away &c. Conditionall promiſes, only ſhew what God will doe upon the performance of ſuch duties and conditions by the creature, which conditions without Gods grace he is never able to performe. And theſe are made for the encouragement of the creature in the wayes of obedience, Pet. Mar. in loc. Deus immut… bi…is non muratur, ſed res ipſa immutabili praeſcientia manente divina. T…rnov. in Ioel. 2.13. Non eſt m…tatio conſilii & decreti divini, ſed operum: attamen hujuſmodi mutatio à D…o ab aeterno eſt decreta. Glaſſ. Rhet. ſacr. tract. …. c. 7 p. 119.Joel 2:13and to ſhew a mans inability that he may fly to Chriſt for ſtrength; but they doe not alway ſhew the purpoſe of God to give the condition or the reward. As in judgements there are conditional threatnings, which upon a change in the creature never come to paſſe: So are there conditionall promiſes, which through the ſin of the creature may never be accompliſhed. Jer. 18.7.8.9.10. At what inſtant I ſpeake concerning a Nation, and concerning a Kingdome, to plucke up, and to pull downe, and to deſtroy it: If that Nation againſt whom I have pronounced turne from their evill, I will repent of the evill that I thought to doe unto them. And at what inſtant I ſpeake concerning a Nation, and concerning a Kingdome to build and to plant it: If it doe evill in my ſight, that it obey not my voice, then will I repent of the good, wherewith I ſaid I would benefit them. So that the change is in the thing, and not in the Lord; and if he make a promiſe upon the performance of ſuch a condition, and a man walke contrary thereunto, he may reape a curſe inſtead of a bleſſing. Novit Deus mutare promiſſum, ſi tu non noveris emendare delictum.

p. 73. The reaſon given of the revocation is in the words of the Text; for they that honour me, I will honour, and they that deſpiſe me, ſhall be lightly eſteemed. Glaſſ. Gram. ſacr. l. 4 tract. 2. obſer. 15 p. 731This is after the manner of the Hebrews propounded both affirmatively and negatively, and when they will expreſſe any thing to the full, they doe it by a pleonaſme in this manner: Exod. 12.20. Yee ſhall eat nothing leavened: In all your habitations ſhall yee eat unleavened bread. Jo. 1.3. All things were made by him, and without him was nothing made that was made. Jo. 1.20. He confeſſed, and denyed not, but confeſſed, I am not the Chriſt.

And quià aequè confuſa eſt, diviſio & nimia & nulla; Sin. ep. 89.my purpoſe is to conſider the reaſon only affirmativè and negativè as it lyes in the Text, and ſo it affords us theſe two Points.

1. They that honour God ſhall be honoured by him.

2. They that diſhonour and deſpiſe God, ſhall be lightly eſteemed.

To begin with the firſt: Doct. 1 They that honour God ſhall be honoured by him.

Here are two things to be opened and explained. 1. What it is to honour God, and how the creature may be ſayd to honour him. 2. How God doth honour thoſe that honour him.

1 What it is to honour God. Honour is nothing elſe but the reflection of an excellency. And to make it up, three things muſt concurre.

1. An excellency, the word in the originall doth ſignifie ſomething that is heavy and ponderous, and a thing of weight and worth, according to that Hebraiſme uſed by the Apoſtle foreign, foreign 2. Cor. 4.17.2 Cor 4:17a weight of p. 8glory, and it ſtands in oppoſition unto another word foreign which ſignifies a light thing, nullius ponderis: And if honour be given where there is not an excellency anſwerable, Gal. 5.26.Gal 5:26it is but foreign an empty and vaine glory becauſe there is nothing within, that anſwers the Title without: foreign. Act. 25.23. Pſa. 62.9. foreign par…r.Acts 25:23Ps 62:9Hence it is that all honour amongſt men is in a great meaſure but foreign, an outſide only, a fancy and no more: For men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie, and leſt it may be thought there is no ſuch worth in them apart indeed: yet if yee put them together they weigh much: Job. 31.6. Dan. 5.27.Job 31:6Dan 5:27he adds, put them altogether into the ballance and weigh them, and they will appeare to be lighter then vanity it ſelfe. But in the Lord, there is all manner of excellency, and therefore as he is the Father of Lights, Jam. 2.1.Jas 2:1ſo is he alſo the Lord of Glory.

2. A manifeſtation of this excellency, or elſe we can never honour him, never aſcribe glory to him; If he will hide his face, Job 34.29.Job 34:29who can behold him? There is not only in God, gloria eſſentialis, but alſo manifeſtativa. The great ground of the diſhonour of God in the world is becauſe men know him not; they that know his name will truſt in him, Pſa. 9.10.Ps 9:10feare him, love him, have high thoughts of him &c: The low and baſe apprehenſions that men have of God, (wherein the maine of a mans ungodlineſſe lyes, Jude 19. Non a… ſecundum improbos ſed ſecundum heminem: taentum baber audaciae ratio humanc, ut contra inſurgere non dubit…t &c. Cal.Jude 1:19as Rom. 1.23. They changed the glory of the incorruptible God, into an Image made like to corruptible man. Rom. 3.5. Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? I ſpeake as a man. Pſal. 51.21. Thou thoughteſt wickedly that I was altogether ſuch an one as thy ſelfe, Ezek. 18.25. Ye ſay the way of the Lord is not equall &c.) they all proceed p. 9from their ignorance of him, want of the manifeſtation of his excellency to them.

3. A reflection of this excellency, when wee behold it in him, be rapt up into admiration of him, and aſcribe all unto him; when his glory ſhines upon us as the Sun ſhines upon the Moone, and wee reflect it, caſting downe our crownes and ſaying, Mat. 6.13. Rev. 4.11.Matt 6:13Rev 4:11thou art worthy to receive glory, and honour, and power, all greatneſſe and excellency is thine, and to thee only it doth belong. In theſe apprehenſions and reflections of the excellencies that be in God, doth our honouring of God properly conſiſt.

Before wee come to the particulars wherein this honouring of God conſiſts, I deſire to premiſe this Generall.

There is no way of honouring God, but in his Sonne; he that honoureth not the Sonne, honoureth not the Father, Jo. 5.23. Pſa. 102.18 Eph. 2.10.Ps 102:18Eph 2:10And this cannot be without a new Creation, a mighty worke of regeneration paſſing upon a man; a people created for his praiſe. God receives no honour by any of the moſt curious workes of unregenerate men; They are all turned into ſin, Pſa. 109.7. Eſa. 65.5.Ps 109:7Isa 65:5they are to him as ſmoake in his noſe, and he abhors them, becauſe though they ſeem to honour God in his Law; yet they honour him not in his Sonne, and he will be honoured no other way, and theſe workes he ſets a very high price upon. Luther propounds this query why the Lord in Scripture hath recorded ſo many ordinary and common things of the Saints, and yet the Vertues of Socrates, and the famous acts of Hannibal, Caeſar, Alexander and Scipio, which to humane view were greater then any in the Church p. 10ever performed, Comment in Gen. 29 1.2.3. Si dareru… m…hi optio; eligero… unius Chriſtiani ruſtici aut ancillae ſordidiſſi num & maxime agreſte opus prae omnibus vic…otiis & triu… phis Alexandri magni, Iulii Caeſaris &c. Quere? quia hic eſt Deus. illi…ſt Diabolus, quae eſt differentia eſſentialis. Hoc non omnes poſſunt cerwere, ne Eraſmus qui dem vidit: ſoli credentes cernunt precium & pondus operum Chriſtianorum. pondus autē & pretium maximum operum eſt ſides & verium. …bi enim Deus ipſe eſt & ſpiri…us in operante. Non ſorde… inſima & carnaliaopera ſanctorum, nec vilia & abjecta fiunt, quia fiunt a parſona credente, accepta ſan…a & divina quae quicquid fecerit, ſcit Deo placere.Gen 29:1Gen 29:2Gen 29:3of whom it is hard to find a parallell even in David himſelfe or any of the Chriſtian Worthies? He anſwers, the firſt thing to be looked unto, is, whether the perſon be accepted, or elſe the workes cannot pleaſe God; ſi vel Cicero vel Socrates ſanguinem ſudaſſet, tamen propterea non placeret Deo. And therefore he profeſſeth, that if God would graunt him his deſire, he ſhould chuſe rather to be the Author of the meaneſt worke of the loweſt of the Saints, then of all the Victories of Alexander, or the Triumphs of Caeſar, becauſe God is honoured in his Sonne in the one, and not in the other. God may uſe Cyrus to deliver his people; to ſay to Ieruſalem thou ſhalt be built, and to the Temple thy Foundations ſhall be layd. God may make the King of Tyre as a covering Cherub unto the Arke, he may cauſe the earth to ſuccour the woman, and appoint Badgers skins and Rams skins for to cover the Tabernacle. And he may get himſelfe honour by them, but they doe not honour him, becauſe all they doe is not in his Sonne, which is the high and only way in which he will be glorified.

There is a double Principle from whence all the actions of unregenerate men towards God do flow, either a principle of open enmity or of ſecret flattery; all their groſſe ſins proceed from the firſt, and all their religious duties from the latter, Pſal. 78.36. they did but flatter him with their lips, and lyed to him with their tongues, for their heart was not right with him, &c. And the latter in ſome reſpect is moſt abhominable, as Judas his betraying Chriſt with a kiſſe, is more hatefull then that of the Souldiers who p. 11came with ſwords and ſtaves to take him. Mark. 1.24.34. Chriſt ſuffered not the Devills to ſpeake becauſe they knew him. Luc. 4.41. Non decet immundum do mundo pronunciare, & à De… refugum de ſancto Dei. Brug.Luke 4:41He will not ſuffer Satan to give a teſtimony of him, to be the Sonne of God, (though it were truth, and the ſame teſtimony that hee commends in Peter, Math. 16.16.) from an inward deteſtation, that any truth of him ſhould be witneſſed by the Father of lyes. If our perſons doe not pleaſe God, our workes cannot honour God.

This being layd for a ground, wee now come to ſhew how God is ſaid to be honoured by us, and that is principally in theſe ſix particulars.

1. When the thoughts of God are ſweet to a man, and he hath high and raviſhing apprehenſions of him from day to day, Math. 15.8. there is a diſtinction made by Chriſt himſelfe, this people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; there is therefore an honouring God with the heart, as well as with the mouth, and if ever our Odors be ſweet to God, they muſt proceed out of Golden Vials, Rev. 5.8. Pineda. Sanctim.In oppoſition hereunto wee have curſing God in the heart, Job 1.5. which is not to be underſtood of violent and malicious blaſpheming of God; but a forgetfulneſſe of God, or any irreverent and unholy thought of God, unbecomming his Ma^tie and glory. And this is I conceive, Medes Diatr. upon the ſanctification of Gods name, p. 28.to ſanctifie the Lord in our hearts, Eſay 8.13. noting that immediate duty which wee owe to him, in acknowledging and meditating of that peereleſſe excellency that is in him, as the higheſt, the moſt delightſome and ſatisfactory object of the ſoule. Thus do the Angels honour him, when they alwaies ſay in p. 12their hearts, Eſa. 6.3.Isa 6:3holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of Hoſtes, the whole earth is full of thy glory. So doth Solomon teach us, Eccleſ. 5.2.Eccl 5:2by conſidering the Lord is in heaven, and wee are upon earth. So doth Moſes, when he is rapt into admiration of him, Exod. 15.11.Exod 15:11who is like unto thee Oh Lord, who is like unto thee? Glorious in holineſſe, fearefull in praiſes, 1. Sam. 2 2.1 Sam 2:2doing wonders. So Hannah, there is none holy as the Lord for there is none beſides thee, neither is there any rock like unto our God. Pſ. 139.17.18.Ps 139:17Ps 139:18And David, how precious are thy thoughts unto me Oh God, how great is the ſumme of them? If I ſhould count them they are more in number then the ſand, when I awake I am ſtill with thee, &c. And thus Micayah honoured God: 1. Kin. 22.191 Kgs 22:19when he ſaw two Kings ſit upon Thrones, and yet the apprehenſion of the Glory and Majeſty of God did ſwallow up all the thoughts of the glory of the creature, and it becomes as nothing before him. Jer. 2.32. Pſa. 10.4.Jer 2:32Ps 10:4But when wee forget Gods dayes without number, he is not in all our thoughts, and when the glory of other things, darkens the glory of God in our hearts, and thoughts of other things doth drowne the thoughts of God in us; as thoſe things, that are to us more excellent and more delightſome, this is to diſhonour God in a mans heart, and to live without God in the world.

2. Wee then honour God, when the honour of God is precious in our eyes, when whether wee eate or drinke, or whatſoever wee do elſe, 1. Cor. 10.31.1 Cor 10:31wee doe all to the glory of God. When a mans owne honour is not deere to him in compariſon of Gods; but he caſts downe his crowne and falls upon his face, Rev. 4.11.Rev 4:11and he that ſo doth, abaſeth his glory, that the Lord alone may be exalted. When a man can venture great things in himſelfe, rather p. 13then diſhonour God in the ſmalleſt; Dan. 6.10.Dan 6:10Daniell will put his life in his hands rather then omit one duty. And Mordecai would venture his owne life, Heſter. 13.8. Briſſon. de regno Perſ. l. 1. Honorem ſupra humanum ei deferebant ex mandato regis: qualis Regi Perſarum hab…batur. Trem. in Heſt. 3. Oh militem in Deo glorioſum: Inter tot fratres commilitone… ſolus Chriſtia…s. De coron. milit. c. 1. Exod. 32.32. Rom. 9.3. Anathema cupit fieri, non à Chriſti charitate, ſed tantum à Chriſti foelicitate. Per.Exod 32:32Rom 9:3and hazard the ſafety of the whole nation, rather then give the glory of God unto any other, for it was divine honour Human expected of him. The Chriſtian Souldier in Tertullian would venture his life, liberty and all, rather then he would weare his Lawrell upon his head as the Heathen Souldiers did, and being demanded the reaſon, why he did differ in habit from the reſt, he anſwered, Chriſtianus ſum, &c. He would lay downe his life rather then in habit come neere unto the cuſtomes of Idolaters. Anſelm judged hell for ſin to be a good exchange. Moſes in a thing that concerned Gods glory, deſired that God would blot his name out of his booke. And Paul that he might be accurſed from Chriſt, which is not to be underſtood of a ſeperation from Chriſt in grace, for ſo he loved Chriſt doubtleſſe above his Brethren, and ſuch a wiſh had been ſinfull, but of a ſeperation from Chriſt in reſpect of his owne glory and happineſſe, if God may have glory, and the ſoules of men advantage. And it is to be underſtood as ſpoken, not deliberativè, but hyperbolicè, &c. they well knew it could not be; River. in Exod. 32. Gloſſ. Rhet. ſacr. p. 477.Exod 32But as Luther hath excellently hinted, Affectus amantium cum inardeſcit, procedit etiam ad impoſsibilia. Love to the glory of God, and the good of his people, puts the ſoule into ſuch an extaſie, that it is carryed out even to knowne impoſſibilities for God. Nay Auſtin in his Reſolution riſeth unto this height in reference to the glory of God, that if the ſalvation of all mankind p. 14were to be accompliſhed by one officiouſly; Ad ſe…ernam ſalate opitulante mendacio nullus ducendus eſt &c. lib. ad conſent. de men…acio. …op. ult.yet the glory of God ſhould be ſo precious, that he ſhould let all mankind to periſh, rather then their ſalvation ſhould be procured by his diſhonour. He that doth in this manner honour God, can never plead a neceſſity of ſinning in any kinde, whether to obtaine the greateſt good, or to avoid the greateſt evill, becauſe he ſaith there is but one thing neceſſary, that God only be exalted. Non admittit ſtatus fidei allegationem neceſsitatis. Tertul. de corona militis, c. 11.Nulla eſt neceſsitas delinquendi, quibus una tantum eſt neceſsitas non delinquendi.

3. We then honour God, when wee thinke our ſelves honoured by the ſervice of God: So did the Apoſtle honour God, Honores alii municipaler, alii regii ſeu ab Imperatore conceſſi, qui petiores in dignitate ſunt. Tholoſſ. Symtag. juris. l. 18. c. 12. S. 12. Pſal. 84.10. Gratius eſt nomen pietatis quam pot eſtatis, Tert. Apol. c. 34. foreign. Epiſt. ad Romanos. S. 3.Ps 84:10Rom. 15.20. 2 Cor. 5.9. foreign, the word ſignifies, to labour with ambition; ſo to looke upon a duty as matter of Labour, as to eſteeme it alſo matter of Honour. Thus wee doe in ſervices that belong to the Kings of the earth, even the meaneſt, to be Steward of the houſe, Maſter of the horſe: or Groome of the ſtoole, wee account great honour. And ſhould we not eſteeme it much more ſo, in the ſervice that is done to God, cui ſervire, regnare eſt? To be a doore keeper in the houſe of the Lord, is a greater honour then to be a Prince in the Tents of wickedneſſe: to be the ſervant of Chriſt, is Pauls Title of Honour, which in all his Epiſtles he holds forth, and to be the ſervant of God, is the honour of the Saints, which is far greater then to be the Prince of the Aire, or this God of the World. Ignatius profeſſeth he had rather be a Martyr then a Monarch. The Saints find their wages in their worke, it is their meat and drinke to doe the will of God, and to finiſh his worke; p. 15nay, they prize their worke above their wages, their duties above their comforts, as one of the Martyrs ſaid when he was dying, that he was even ſorry that he was now going to a place, where he ſhould for ever receive wages and never doe any more worke, his duty ſeemed more to him then his glory. Indeed the higheſt honour of the creature is to be uſed, and to be a veſſell of honour fitted for the Maſters uſe, and the greateſt reproach to a man that can be, is to be laid aſide, as a veſſell wherein there is no pleaſure.

4. A man then honours God, when he layes out himſelfe in his ſervice to the uttermoſt, and yet acknowledgeth when he hath done all, he is an unprofitable ſervant, and whatſoever he hath done is unworthy of God. Honour the Lord with thy ſubſtance, and with the firſt fruits of all thy encreaſe, Prov. 3.9. Whatſoever thy hand finds to doe, doe it with all thy might, Eccleſ. 9.10. Simpliciſſimè videtur tota officiae Chriſti adminiſtratione, accipi. Glaſſ. Rhit. ſacr. tract. 1. c. 12 Mundani Monarchae non geſtant principatum ſuper humerosſuos, ſed re…iciunt onus gubernandi in humeros ſervorū conſiliariorum &c. Chriſtus autem talis Rex eſt, quod principat… impoſitus ſit, ſuper ipſius ſolius humeros &c. Brentius in loc.So doe the Angels the living creatures mentioned Ezech. 1.14. (expounded to be the Cherubins, Ezech. 10.20.) they ran and returned in all their ſervices as the appearance of a flaſh of lightning. Thus doth Chriſt himſelfe lay out himſelfe to the utmoſt in the ſervice of God and of the Church, Eſay 9.6. The government is upon his ſhoulders; the Princes of the earth take the honour to themſelves, but the burthen they caſt upon others, withdraw the ſhoulder, and will not put their necks to the worke of the Lord, Neh. 3.5. But Chriſt doth not ſo, as he expects all the honour, ſo he takes upon him all the worke and layes out himſelfe to the utmoſt therein, Eſay. 49.4. Chriſts labour in the Lords worke is expreſſed by three words, which are very ſignificant: The firſt p. 16is foreign which ſignifies, His preparations amounted to three thouſand, three hundred thirty and three cartload of ſilver; allowing two thouſand weight of filver, or ſixe thouſand pounds ſterling to every cartload; beſides of our money twenty three millious and a thouſand pound, which was more then any King in the world poſſeſſed beſides himſelfe… and a matter, but for the teſtimony of Scriptures exceeding all beleefe. Sir W. Rawley hiſt. of the world part. 1. l. 2. Cap. 1. S. 9. Ego homo tibi nihil boni dedi, nihil beneficii contuli, quicquid feci aut laboravi tempore exinanitionit …eae, ſed quicquid ſacis in hominum utilitat…m & commodum cedit, ſanctis in… declaro be…e…olentiam meam, &c. Luther in Com. Druſii queſt. & reſp. l. 3. q. 72. Tarnor. …n Pſalm. paſſionales. Moller. in loc.cum anhelatione & defatigatione laborare, rendered by the Sept. foreign which ſignifies, weariſome, waſting, and even fainting labour, Math. 11.28. The next word is foreign it ſignifies humidum radicale (Pſ. 22.16. my ſtrength is dryed up like a potſheard, Pſal. 71.9.) a labour even to the waſting and drying up of a mans naturall ſtrength and radicall moiſter &c. And the other word foreign ſignifies, not a ſmall and a moderate waſting, but a totall, a perfect and an utter conſuming; thus did the Lord Chriſt, (to us a patterne as well as a principle of holineſſe) lay out himſelfe in the ſervice of God and his Church.

And that wherein the maine honour lyes, is this, they are humbled for what ever they doe and acknowledge it to be a thing wholy unworthy of God: David did prepare with all his might for the building of the Temple, and that even to the wealth of a Kingdome, and yet he ſaith of it, 1 Cron. 22.14. he had done this, in or according to his poverty, as a thing every way unworthy of ſo glorious a Majeſty, & ſo great a worke. Eſpecially to be obſerved to this purpoſe is that acknowledgement of Chriſt himſelfe, Pſal. 16.2.3. Oh my ſoule thou haſt ſaid unto the Lord, thou art my Lord, my goodneſſe extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. This ſome learned Interpreters take to be the ſpeech of Chriſt, as that is, which followes in the Pſalme, wherein ſpeaking as Mediator, as the Fathers ſervant, of all the great things that he both did and ſuffered in our nature, he acknowledgeth that God is not profited by p. 17them they adde no perfection to him, it was meerly his free will to appoint them, and meerly his free grace to accept them; the Saints they had indeed much benefit by them, have redemption and adoption; but it was no advantage to God at all, added nothing unto him, he could have gotten glory out of the deſtruction of the creatures, if they had periſhed in their ſins, as well as in their ſalvation by a Saviour; nothing of the happineſſe or glory of God had beene diminiſhed by it, it was not for Gods neede that Chriſt died and ſuffered, but for ours, and therefore the Sept. renders the words, foreign, Of my goodneſſe thou haſt no need. Thus Chriſt glorifies his Father upon earth, he layes out himſelfe to the utmoſt in ſervice, and when he hath done all, he acknowledgeth, he had not profited God by any thing; my goodneſſe extends unto thee.

5. A man honours God by aſcribing all unto him, when he hath laboured in his ſervice with all his might. We are to attribute to God the worke and the fruit or ſucceſſe of the worke. Though the ſervice be great, yet not done of our ſelves, 2 Cor. 3.2.5.2 Cor 3:22 Cor 3:5wee are not ſufficient of our ſelves to thinke any thing as of our ſelves, but our ſufficiency is of God: Yee are the Epiſtle of Chriſt miniſtred by us, wee had no other influence into the worke, but as the pen, in the hand of Chriſt a ready writer: I laboured more abundantly then they all, 1 Cor. 15.10.1 Cor 15:10yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me: Who am I, and what is this people that wee ſhould be able to offer ſo willingly after this ſort? For all-things are of thee, and of thine owne hand have wee given thee. And as p. 18the worke ſo the ſucceſſe of it, Pſal. 11 5.1.Ps 11:5Ps 11:1not unto us Oh Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory. Paul is nothing, 1 Cor. 3.4 5. Eſay. 26.18. Hoſe. 14.….1 Cor 3:4Isa 26:18Hos 14Apollo nothing, but Miniſters by whom yee beleeved, even as God gave unto every man. Wee have wrought no deliverance in the earth, neither have the Inhabitants of the earth fallen, from him is our fruit found. Our happines & honour is to be Workers with God in the worke; but our ſin & ſnare is to be ſharers with God in the honour. Luther ſaith, no man can truely ſay ſanctificetur nomen tuum, Quicquid …cquiritur, acquiritur Do…ino, mom ſolum preprietas ſed esiam poſſeſſio. Minſing. im inſtir. p. 3.but he muſt alſo ſay, profanetur nomen meum. The Civill Law ſaith of a ſervant, that as he is not his own, nor in his owne power, ſo all the fruits of his labour is not to turne to his owne, but his Maſters advantage. Men imployed in the higheſt workes upon earth, are but inſtruments and weapons in the Lords hand; he bends Iudah for him, Zach. 9.13. & 10.3.Zech 9:13Zech 10:3and fills the bow with Ephraim, and makes them as his goodly horſe in the battle: And as to be uſed in ſervice is a mans higheſt honour, ſo to take to himſelfe the glory, will be a mans ſhame and diſhonor for ever.

6. Minor erat Caeſar, ſi Deus cli… retur; quia non werè diceresur. Tertul. Apol. c. 33. …ſay. 49 4. 2 Cor 4.18.2 Cor 4:18A man honours God when he ſeekes the honour that comes from God only in all his ſervice, and from him alone expects his reward. Thus did Chriſt honour the Father: Though Iſrael be not gathered, ſurely my judgment is with the Lord, and my reward with my God. So doe the Saints, while they looke not at things that are ſeene, but at things that are not ſeene, and make theſe their aime in whatſoever they doe. Wee know what rewards men uſe to give for ſervices: foreign.If a man ſerve a King, and that in the higheſt kind, even in the preſervation of his life, as Mordecai p. 19did Ahaſuerus, if the queſtion be, Heſter 6.3.Esth 6:3what honour and dignity hath been done to him, for this? the ſame anſwer may be returned, there is nothing done for him. It may be he may be rewarded as Juſtinian the Emperour did his victorious Generall Bellizarius, who after all his great ſervices, paid him his arreares with putting out of his eyes, and turning him to beg by the wayes ſide, date obulum Bellizario. If he ſerve a City, wee ſee their pay alſo, Eccleſ. 9.15. There was a little City, and few men within it, and there came a great King againſt it, and beſeiged it, and built great bulworkes againſt it. Now there was found in it a poore wiſe man, and he by his wiſdome delivered that City; yet no man remembred that ſame poore man. But if a man ſerve a State, ſurely they give better pay. See it in Moſes, Num. 11.12.Num 11:12as faithfull a ſervant to the State of Iſrael as ever any people had: Who carryed them in his boſome, as a nurſing father doth a ſucking child, for forty yeeres. Yet what murmurings at him? What jealouſies of him? What partyes made againſt him upon every ſleight occaſion? And if any croſſe accident fell out, as a puniſhment of their own ſin; yet by & by they muſt ſtone Moſes, he had undone them, & had a plot upō them in their deliverance out of Aegypt, to deſtroy them in the Wildernes.

I know men in all their ſervices love ſomething in hand, & cannot be eaſily drawn to undertake any thing which doth not carry its reward with it, and in ſuch things they are very forward. Hoſe. 3.1. Its noted of the people of Iſrael, they loved Flagons of Wine. This is ſpoken of their Idolatrous worſhip, which was done by feaſtings in the houſe of their p. 20Gods, Judg. 9.27. 1 Cor. 10.21. this ſervice which they thought would bring them in a reward hereafter, and yet ſuited with the preſent ſenſuality of their ſpirits here, this they loved and much delighted in. Hoſc. Propter voluptates colu… idola, magis de victu quem de cultu ſolliciti. Tarn. Druſius in loc.8.13. They ſacrifice fleſh for the ſacrifice of mine offerings, and they eate it. The ſacrifices of God were of two ſorts, expiatory or gratulatory, the one in the burnt offering, and the other in the peace offering, and this laſt ſome conceive to be here meant, the burnt offering was wholy to be conſumed, Weemſe. vol. 3. cap. 13.except the skin and the intrals; therefore nothing of this did remaine to be eaten. Populus volu… rit cutem ſuom cutare, & habere pingue convi…ium, cum Dominus poſtularet offerri ſibi …o…otauſta. Cal.But in the peace offering, only the fat was the Lords, the reſt was divided between the Prieſt and the Sacrificer, and to theſe ſacrifices there was a Feaſt adjoyned of great joy and gladneſſe. Deut. 16.15. 1 Sam. 20.6. Prov. 7.14. In theſe ſacrifices they did ſeeme much to delight; but in burnt offerings in which God muſt have all, they tooke no ſuch pleaſure. But wee then honour God indeed when wee ſhut our eyes againſt all honour and reward from men, and can be content to plow in hope, knowing that light is ſowne for the righteous, and they muſt from God expect the harveſt. Thus wee ſee the firſt branch opened, how wee may be ſayd to honour God.

Wee now come to the ſecond thing propounded in the opening of the point, which is, how God doth honour thoſe, that honour him, which alſo is ſeene in theſe ſix particulars.

1. God doth honour men, by giving them honourable imployments. The Angels have an order among themſelves, and ſome are conceived to be exalted above p. 21others in honour; Zanth. de eperibus Dei, l 2. c. 14. Theſ. 5.but this is not a dignitate na turali, for ſo they are all equall, but a diverſitate of ficiorum, from the different imployments that the Lord is pleaſed to exerciſe them in. Even Chriſt himſelfe, though he be the Churches Lord; yet he is God the Fathers Servant, and his ſervice is his honour; now he is in heaven, for he weares his Prieſtly garments there, being cloathed with a garment downe to the feet, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle, Rev. 1.13. Surely they that are moſt ſerviceable, are moſt honourable. Thoſe honourable titles carry in them great ſervices, Pſal. 82.5. Pſal 47.9. Hoſe. 4.8. Eſay. 32.2. Sam 4.20. Job 34.17. Eſay. 19.13.Ps 82:5Ps 47:9Hos 4:8Isa 322 Sam 4:20Job 34:17Isa 19:13to be the foundations and the ſhield of the earth, the hiding places from the wind, and refuge from the ſtorme, the breath of our noſtrils, the healers of our breaches, the ſtay of our Tribes, and whatſoever may ſet forth a man uſefull in Church or Commonwealth. That any of you, (right Honourable) ſhould be ſo far uſed and honoured, as with Moſes, to deliver an enſlaved people, with Joſhah to fight the Lords battels, and to give them poſſeſſion of the promiſed Land, Eſay 14.12. & 34.4. Stellae de ceela cadentes de principum & ſummatum ruinâ intelliguntur. Cauda poteſtatis comites & pediſſequos ſignificat. In terram abjicer… eſt, p…incipes & Dynaſtas imperio ſuo ſubjeicere. Mede in Apoc.Isa 14:12Isa 34:4which Elijah to reſtore the worſhip of God decayed, and with Zorobabel to caſt out the rubbiſh, and to build the Temple, theſe are the greateſt and the moſt honourable ſervices that any men in the world can be imployed in.

2 God honours men by keeping them unblemiſhed, that they retaine their integrity, and doe not warpe in the moſt trying times; whether the tryals be by proſperity or adverſity. In the time of adverſity, the Stars doe often fall, there is a Cauda Draconis, which ſweepes downe the third part of the Stars of Heaven, p. 22and caſts them unto the earth, Rev. 12.4. And all the world wonders after the beaſt, and receive his marke in their forehead, a token of their ſubjection, becauſe they ſay who is able to make war with the beaſt? Rev. 13.4. Then ſhall thoſe that God will honour be preſerved as a morning without a cloud: And they ſhall ſtand with the Lambe upon Mount Zion, having his Fathers name written in their foreheads. And of them it ſhall be ſayd, theſe are they who were not defiled with women, for they are Virgins, theſe are they, who follow the Lamb whither ſoever he goeth, theſe were redeemed from among men, being the firſt fruites unto God, foreign &c. Naz…an. orat. 1.9.and to the Lambe. Rev. 14.3. They ſhall not appeare to be chaffe in winnowing times, though they be emptied from veſſell to veſſell, God doth honour them by not ſuffering their lees to ariſe: But they are reſolute for God, and beare witneſſe to the truth, and doe not carry themſelves in a reſerved middle way, (which is the policy of the world) that they may preſerve a favourable eſteeme with both parties, though they be loved and truſted of neither.

And in tryalls alſo in the times of proſperity, which commonly prove the moſt dangerous ſnares: Auſtin. deverb. Dom. ſer. 13.Magna eſt faelicitas, non a faelicitate vinci. Joſeph is the ſame in Priſon, as a ſlave: in Potiphars houſe, as a ſervant, and in Pharaohs Court as a Prince, the ſecond in the Kingdome. A godly man is reſembled to a Rock, Ezech. 3.9. Licet m…tor frangit …verſitaes mu…ò … res ex…o…r proſper…as. Be…n. de temp ſ…r. 52Ezek 3:9in a ſtorme the Rock ſhakes not, ſhrinkes not, and if the Sun ſhine, the Rock melts not. Prov. 27 21. As the fining pot for ſilver, and the furnace for gold: So is a man to his praiſe: There is not a ſurer and more effectuall tryall in the fining pot, to diſcover p. 23the droſſe of ſilver, and the furnace for gold, then there is in praiſe, honour and advancement to diſcover the droſſe and vanity that is in the ſpirits of men. And in that particle in the originall foreign there is an eſpeciall emphaſes, it ſignifies, Exod. 16.18. Leu. 27.16.Exod 16:18Lev 27:16ad modum & menſuram; according to the proportion of the thing; ſo here it is according to the meaſure and proportion of a mans praiſe: a ſmall preferment may draw out but a little, and a great honour will manifeſt a great deale of droſſe to be in a man. And many a man obſerving which way the tide of honour, preferment, and advantage runs, reſolves to caſt himſelfe into that way, Salvian. de guber. D…i. l. 4. p. 113.and ſwim downe the ſtreame, how evill ſoever, & per hoc omnes quodammodo coguntur eſſe malè ne viles habeantur. Now thoſe that God will honour he carries upon Eagles wings in theſe tryals, and they are with Noah kept upright in the midſt of a crooked and perverſe Generation.

3. God honours men by giving them an high eſteeme in the hearts of the faithfull: So God honoured David, 2. Sam. 3.36.2 Sam 3:36what ſoever he did pleaſed all the people. Thoſe that are precious in Gods eyes, Eſay 43.3.Isa 43:3he will viſit the heart of his people for them, and make them honourable in their eyes alſo. And to have an intereſt in the hearts of the faithfull is more, then to have the favour of all the Princes of the earth. And therefore Theodofius rejoyced more ſe membrum eſſe Eccleſiae quam in terris regnare. Auſtin de civit Dei. l. 5. c. 26.The ſpeciall bleſſing upon every ſervice that a man doth next unto the acceptation of God; is, that it may be accepted of the Saints, Rom. 15.31.Rom 15:31that they ſhall ſay, our hearts are towards the Governours of Iſrael, Judg. 5.9.Judg 5:9that willingly offered themſelves to the worke of the p. 24Lord. It may be the generality of the world is againſt them, and they looke upon them as vile men, and the of ſcouring of all things; but honour in the hearts of the excellent ones of the earth, Cyp…ian Epiſt. 3.is more then the honour of all the vile men of the world. Ne attendas numerum illorum, melior eſt unus timens quam mille filii impii. See how highly this was in eſteeme with the ancient Saints: Rom 1….30. Act. 12.Rom 1:30Acts 12if Paul go forth to preach, the people of God muſt ſtrive with him in their prayers: if Joſhuah go forth to war, unleſſe Moſes hold up his hands upon the hill, he can availe little by fighting in the vally; if Peter goe to Priſon, the prayers of the Saints muſt releaſe him; its a great matter to goe forth either in doing or ſuffering loaden with prayers, Hoſe. 12.3.4. 1 Cor. 6.2.Hos 12:3Hos 12:41 Cor 6:2for wee know they have power with God, and that the Saints ſhall judge the world. When therefore God will honour men indeed, as he doth ſet his owne eyes upon them; ſo the eyes and hearts of Gods people ſhall be towards them.

4. God honours men when he doth appeare for them in the diſhonours caſt upon them: So God honoured Moſes, Numb. 12.8. Though it be Aron and Miriam; yet he will not ſuffer them to paſſe unpuniſhed, if they dare ſpeake againſt his ſervant Moſes. Men may faſten reproaches upon the Saints, caſt out their names as evill, but their light ſhall breake forth in obſcurity, and he that will one day wipe all teares from their eyes, will alſo wipe away all blots from their names. Therefore whereas other men in ſlanders commonly juſtifie themſelves with boiſterouſneſſe and clamour, he conſcious of his owne uprightneſſe, and ſweetly injoying inward peace, only ſaith, p. 25My witneſſe is in heaven, and my record is on high, Job. 14.19. & 58.Job 14:19Job 14:58and unto him, I will wholy commit my cauſe. And ſurely the leſſe they appeare to juſtifie themſelves, the more gloriouſly will the Lord delight to ſhew himſelfe, to plead the cauſes of their ſoules. The teſtimony given to Moſes by God himſelfe upon this occaſion, was, that the man Moſes was the meekeſt man that was upon the face of the earth: And had he not been thus meeke in his owne cauſe, wee may queſtion whether God would have ſo ſuddainly ſpoken for Moſes his juſtification: When Gods people leave their cauſe with him; he that hath ſaid he will be a ſwift witneſſe againſt his enemies, will alſo be as ſwift a witneſſe for his people.

5. After this life God doth honour them with a ſweet and a precious name, which ſhall be as an olutment poured out, and their memory ſhall be bleſſed among the poſterities to come: So God honoured Moſes after his death, by giving a teſtimony to his ſyncerity, Moſes my ſervant is dead. So God honoured Eliſh 1, Joſh. 1.2.Josh 1:2that at his death the King wept over him, and ſayd, my father, my father, 2. Kin. 13.14. 2. Chro. 32.33.2 Kgs 13:142 Chr 32:33the Chariot of Iſrael and the horſe men thereof. So Hezekiah, all Iudah did him honour at his death. And Jehojada God honoured in his Funerall; 2. Chro. 24.16.2 Chr 24:16they buried him in the City of David among the Kings, becauſe he had done good in Iſrael both towards God, and towards his houſe: And God honoured Joſiah by a publique mourning after his death, all Iudah and Ierſualem mourned for Joſiah, and Jeremiah lamented, and all the ſinging men, 2. Chro. 35.25.2 Chr 35:25and the ſinging women ſpake of Joſiah in their lamentations to this day, and they made it an ordinance in Iſrael: This p. 26at laſt grew into a Proverb among them, Hie planger publicus fuit, & progreſſu temporis in Proverbium abiit. Druſ. in loc. Briſſon. de regn. Perſar. l. 1. p. 36.for a great lamentation, which I conceive to be meant by that expreſſion, Zach. 12.11. In that day there ſhall be a great mourning in Ieruſalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the vally of Megiddo. Thus did the Perſians honour their Princes at their birth, publica laetitia & anniverſariis ſacris, with a generall rejoycing, ſo their death, luctu publico, with a publique and univerſall mourning. Rev. 14.13.Rev 14:13Bleſſed are the dead that die in the Lord, for they reſt from their labour, and their workes follow them, and as they have been in this life, pedeſſequi fidei, ſo after this life they ſhall be pedeſſequi gloriae.

6. God doth honour men in their poſterity, and therefore children are called the parents glory. Hoſe. 9.11. foreign Pſ. 72.17.Hos 9:11Ps 72:17His name ſhall endure for ever, the word is rendred by Montan: Filiabitur nomen ejus, his name ſhall be continued in his poſterity, by a lineall deſcent, as long as the Sun and the Moone endureth; Eſay. 38.Isa 38and they that come of them ſhall be called the repairers of the breach, and reſtorers of Cities to dwell in. Whereas many a man is but exhaled as a Meteour for a time, and he falls downe again and none of his poſterity remaine, but his lampe is put out in obſcure darkeneſſe, Nah. 1.14.Nah 1:14and no more of the name ſhall be ſowne. His arme ſhall be cut off, and none of his houſe ſhall remaine; but to conſume his eyes, and to grieve his heart, and to be the reproach of their fathers houſe for ever.

We come now unto the ſecond part of the Text, they that deſpiſe me ſhall be lightly eſteemed; which doth afford us this point.

They that diſhonour and deſpiſe God, Doct. 2 ſhall themſelves p. 27become vile, and be lightly eſteemed.

The word which we render deſpiſe, is foreign, Aliquid ex faſtu ſpernere. Av… nar. Tanquam turp… & indecorum contemnere. Schindl.which is ſometimes referred to the perſon, and ſometimes to the thing, and ſignifies vileneſſe or meaneſſe, in the eſteeme of the one, and pride and contempt in the other.

This word is uſed, 1 Sam. 10.27. ſome men of Belial, looking upon the meaneſſe of Saul his condition, though God had made him King over Iſrael, yet they ſayd how can this man ſave us, and they deſpiſed him in their hearts as a man unworthy of ſuch an honour? It ſignifies all ſorts of contempt caſt upon one, foreign. Conrad. Kicher. in foreign & foreign.either in a mans heart or his wayes, and is therefore rendered by the Sept. in different words which may fully expreſſe the pride of the perſon, and his low and undervaluing apprehenſions of the thing. Thus doe wicked men contemne God. And their reward ſhall be to become vile, and of no eſteeme. The word foreign ſignifies alleviari vel pondere vel honore: to make a thing light, either in weight of eſtimation, and is ſometimes tranſlated foreign, to be nothing, ſometimes it is oppoſed unto foreign, and is rendered by foreign, which ſignifies to curſe and to ſpeake of a thing with execration and deteſtation: But in this place the Sept. renders it foreign, which is to diſhonour or diſgrace a man, all may fitly be taken in, he that hath no eſteeme of Gods honour, ſhall himſelfe (whatſoever his place and parts be, and whatever ornaments and excellencies he hath to ſet him off before men) be diſhonoured, accounted a man of no worth; here his name ſhall be caſt out as evill, and be ſeperated with a curſe, and unto deteſtation before all men.

p. 28Here wee have two things to conſider. 1. How men doe diſhonour God. 2. How God diſhonours them.

Men diſhonour God in an eſpeciall manner theſe five wayes.

1. When they ſlight the offers of Chriſt which God makes to them, and thus men that live in the Church, profeſſe to receive the Goſpel, and be called by the name of Chriſt, Mar. 9.12. Act. 4.11. foreign Math. 22.5. 2. Cor. 6.1.Mark 9:12Acts 4:11Matt 22:52 Cor 6:1doe deſpiſe him, and ſet him at naught, yea even the builders, thoſe of higheſt place, and ſeeming eminency in the Church. Men being invited to the wedding, they make light of it and will not come, every ſmall occaſion ſhall be a diverſion: The Goſpel of grace is offered to them, and they receive the grace of God in vaine; they know that they are without Chriſt, and know upon what termes God offers (ſc. a conſent to the Covenant, the anſwer of a good conſcience, Eſay. 1.29. 1. Pet. 3.21. 2 Cron. 30.8. 2. Cor. 8.5. Cant. 2.16. & 6.3.Isa 1:291 Pet 3:211 Pet 3:22 Cor 8:5Song 2:16Song 6:3the giving of a mans ſelfe unto the Lord, that he may ſay I am my beloved, and my beloved is mine) and yet with the yong man in the Goſpel, they goe away from Chriſt, and reſolve not to come up to the termes of Gods offer, but out of the prophaneſſe of their hearts, prefer other things to Chriſt, and with Eſau deſpiſe their birthright. This is the higheſt way of diſhonouring of God: To honour God in his Law (which was the way of the firſt Covenant) is very acceptable to him; but to honour God in his Son, is much more, (which is the way of the Goſpel) and therfore faith brings more glory to God then workes can doe to eternity, becauſe it honours God in an higher way. Now if this be the higheſt way of honouring God, then the contrary muſt needs be the greateſt diſhonour that a man can caſt upon him.

p. 29And this is the higheſt way of ſinning againſt knowledge. Sins againſt knowledge are of two ſorts. 1. In a particular act, when a man knowes a thing to be evill, and his knowledge doth riſe againſt it, and yet he is tranſported and commits it. 2. In a mans eſtate, when a man knowes that he comes not up unto Gods termes, upon which he offers Chriſt, and that the offers of Chriſt will not laſt alwayes, that God makes a quick diſpatch with many men in the dayes of the Goſpel; that the day of reſtraining grace may laſt, when the day of converting grace is paſt, and yet puts off Chriſt from day to day, and is content to be without him: This is the higheſt degree of ſinning againſt knowledge, and therefore the higheſt way of diſhonouring of God, next to the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt. Poteſt hom… invitus amittere bona temp…ralia, nunquam vero niſi volen… perdit aeterna. Proſper. p. 441.There is this difference betweene temporall and ſpirituall bleſſings, no man willingly partswith the one, and no man but he that is willing ſhall loſe the other. I would have gathered you but yee would not. Math. 23.37.

2. When they live without God, and are content ſo to doe. This is the condition of every man by nature, Eph 2.12.Eph 2:12Eph. 2.12. and this is the complaint of God, concerning thoſe that profeſſed themſelves to be his people, and made their boaſt of God, Jer. 2.32.Jer 2:32that they forgat him dayes without number. When men can live without the knowledge of God, without communion with him, without intereſt in him; take no care to pleaſe him, and the comforts of their lives come not in by him: This is to diſhonour God in an high degree, and as much as if men did ſay, wee are Lords, wee will come no more at thee. A gracious heart can take contentment p. 30in nothing without God, in the midſt of all his injoyments, J…r. 2.31.he ſaith my ſoule is a thirſt for God: Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I deſire in compariſon of thee? He diſcernes his preſence, Cant. 5.6. Pſal. 28.1.Song 5:6Ps 28:1he is affected with his abſence, if he withdraw himſelfe, his heart failes, and if he hide his face, and be ſilent to him, he is like unto one that goes downe to the pit. His care is to pleaſe him, and to approove himſelfe unto him in all things. The hearts of men commonly are carryed after ſelfe pleaſing, Rom. 15 3. 1. Theſ. ….15. Gal. 1 10. 2 Cor. 5 9. Col. 1.10.Rom 15:3Gal 1:102 Cor 5:9Col 1:10(ſo it is with many a proud and ſullen ſpirit, ſelfe-conceit, and ſelfe-will, will carry a man to ſelfe-pleaſing, though he diſpleaſe all the world beſide) and men pleaſing: but grace carries a mans heart to deſire to pleaſe God in all things, and to walke before him unto all well-pleaſing.

3. When men feare not his wrath, tremble not at his preſence, have no dread of his great and terrible name, ſleight his threatnings, and diſregard his alſeeing eye, then men are ſaid to deſpiſe God, Deut. 29.19.Deut 29:19Pſal. 10.13. When they doe wickedly, and ſay in their hearts, I ſhall have peace though I walke after the imaginations of mine owne heart, ſurely God will not require it; when they ſay, Jer. 5.13. Zach. 1.6.Jer 5:13Zech 1:6the words of the Prophets are but winde, and the word of the Lord is not in them: (though when they fly, the threatning will certainly overtake thē.) When men fly to the creatures to uphold them againſt the wrath of God; Dan. 11.38. Jer. 2.18. Hoſe. 5.13. …ſay. 30.12.Dan 11:38Jer 2:18Hos 5:13honour Mahuzim or the God of forces, drinke the waters of the river, truſt in oppreſsion, and leane upon it, to be protected againſt the diſpleaſure of God: Send to King Jareb to be healed of wounds from God: And with Saul to comfort p. 31himſelfe in any creature-reſpect in the conſideration of the loſſe of Gods everlaſting love, it is a deſpiſing of God in an high degree.foreign. Plutarch de regno. Interitum paratum illi civitati video, in qua non lex Magiſtratibus; ſed legi Magiſtratus preſunt. Tholoſ. de repub. l. 7. e. 20. Pſ. 119.126. Math. 15.6, foreign.Ps 119:126Matt 15:6

4. When men ſet up their wiſdomes or wills againſt the Law of God, and the Ordinances of God. The higheſt power of a Prince is legiſlative, and he rules onelyonly in his Law; and the higheſt contempt of him is to deſpiſe him in this his higheſt power. Yet thus men deſpiſe God dayly: Sometimes they exalt their wiſdome againſt it, by the oppoſitions of ſcience falſly ſo called, by the curioſities, contradictions, or the ſuperinducements of fleſhly imaginations upon truths of God, and by this means they enervate, unlord and make voide the Law of God. And ſometimes men ſet up their wills againſt the Law, caſt it behinde their backs, withdraw the ſhoulder, reſolve not to be ſubject: But what thou ſpeakeſt to us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee: but wee will certainly do whatſoever goeth out of our owne mouth, &c. Jer. 44.16.17.

5. When men ſet light by the things which tend unto Gods diſhonour, and doe not teſtifie their zeale againſt them as becomes the Majeſty of God: So did Ely here deſpiſe God in that he did not ſhew that zeale againſt his Sons in the cauſe of God, Jo. 2 17. Authoritat Iohannis allegantis hunc locum de Chriſto major eſt quam ut ullis verbis nos ind… abduti patiamur. Tarnov. in loc.John 2:17as he ought to have done, and is therefore charged to honour his ſons more then God. Chriſt was zealous in all things that tended to Gods diſhonour, Pſal. 69.9. thereproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen upon me: The wrongs done to God did affect him, as if they had been injuries againſt himſelfe; yea they drowned and ſwallowed up all perſonall wrongs whatſoever, p. 32and he that is in his owne wrong dumb as a Lamb before the ſheerer, he is tranſported exceedingly in the cauſe of God, with how much zeale did he aſſert the truth of God againſt the falſe Doctrines of the Phariſes, In partes divisêre variarum homines …ealè carioſi; arque uno ex en are infiniti, diverſi omnes & contrariinaci funt. Cunaeus l. 2. c. 17. Math. 16.23. Jo. 2.4. Jo. 2.15.Matt 16:23John 2:4John 2:15Sadduces, and Herodians, the Hereticks of thoſe times? How ſharpely did he reproove ſin, not only in the Phariſes, a generation of vipers; but alſo in a Diſciple, get thee behinde me Satan, thou art an offence to me? And in his mother, woman what have I to doe with thee? How much zeale did he manifeſt for the worſhip of God, in purging the Temple, and whipping out the buyers and ſellers, who turned the houſe of prayer, into a den of theeves? And ſo fullfilled that Propheſie of him, the zeale of thy houſe hath eaten me up, it ſwallowed up all other affections in him, as if he had been transformed into burning zeale. So it was with the Saints of old, they did contend earneſtly for the faith once given to the Churches, they could not beare them that were evill, under what ſhew or pretence ſoever, though they ſaid they were Iewes, yet were found upon tryall to be of the Synagogue of Satan. The rule given, 2 Jo. 10. is much to be conſidered in theſe dayes, If any man come unto you, and bring not this Doctrine, receive him not into your houſe, nor bid him God ſpeede, for he that biddeth him God ſpeede is partaker of his evill deeds. He ſpeakes it of thoſe Deceivers and falſe Teachers, which were then entred into the world, and he ſaith not only that they ſhould not favour them, and plead for them; but alſo that they ſhould neither out of love to the error, or an affectation of novelty, countenance, entertaine them, or converſe with p. 33them: But in teſtimony of their zeale for God, foreign. l. 3. c. 3. Euſeb. Hiſt. l. 4. c. 14.and their conſtancy in the truth, reject them, avoyd them, that they be not encouraged in their ſin, nor they partakers thereof as abettors of their evill deeds. Irenaeus hath a ſtory of Polycarpus, how when Marcion the Heretick came to ſee him, and deſired him, to know him, he anſwered him, I know thee to be the firſt begotten of the Devill: So zealous and fervent in ſpirit were the Apoſtles, and their Diſciples againſt thoſe that corrupted the truth or worſhip of God. This would be accounted bitterneſſe of ſpirit in our dayes; that ancient zeale for God, being in a great meaſure cooled amongſt us, and many men who pretend great zeale, who (as its ſayd of the Carbuncle, Rueus de G…mmis.tranſlucet ad modum ardentis prunae) if ye looke upon them a far off, yee would thinke them to be all fire; yet if yee touch them, will be found key cold.Spiritus diffunditur, profunditur contemptus. Pſ. 107.40. Jer. 22.28. Quia ſuis adorabatur quaſi Idolum; jam in captivitate, vilis, abj…ctus, & contritus eſt. Notent principe… niſi opes, gloriam fundent in timore Dei, non fore ea ſtabilia…, ſed ſe cum iis, quaſi vilia & inutilia vaſa abjiciend…s eſſe. A L…p.Ps 107:40Jer 22:28

The ſecond branch for explication, is, how God diſhonours men. And this he can doe upon the greateſt. Kings are the fountaine of honour upon earth, and by them it is diſpenced; but yet he poures contempt upon Princes: It notes abundance the higheſt meaſure of diſhonour: They that convey honour unto others, cannot preſerve their owne honour. And this the Lord doth ordinarily, theſe five waies.

1. He will not uſe them in high and honourable employments, caſt them out as an abominable or unfruitfull branch. Conia is a deſpiſed broken Idol, a veſſell wherein there is no pleaſure. It is ſpoken of Jechoniah the King of Judah; the firſt diſgrace that the Lord puts upon him, is by taking away the firſt letter of p. 34his name, per contemptum, as Abraham had a letter added to his name, as a ſpeciall honour; ſo from this Prince a letter is detracted as an eſpeciall reproach. And he is called an Idol, but deſpiſed and broken: he was formerly honoured and adored by his Subjects as an Idol; but as his honour before was above a man; ſo God would poure upon him the greateſt contempt, ſc. of an Idol which hath been worſhipped as a God, and is now diſcovered not to be ſo: It is of all things elſe moſt unprofitable and moſt abominable. Hoſe. 8.8 Luther. Tarnor. Eſt perip…r a…ſis matu…; eſſe in ſumme conte… tu ſignifi. at. Druſ. Zanch. …ar.Hos 8:8And he ſhall be as a veſſell, in which there is no pleaſure; foreign ſo the Sept. cujus nullus eſt uſus, ſo the Chalde Paraph. Its taken ab ollis rimoſis, ſay ſome, that becauſe they are riven and unfit for ſervice, are caſt away, as good for nothing: But others raiſe the ſence higher, and ſay it is a modeſt expreſſion, not only of a thing unuſefull, but a thing filthy and vile, as a veſſell for the moſt uncleane uſes; thus God poures the higheſt contempt upon perſons that he hath raiſed to the higheſt honour. Yea he doth ſometimes raiſe men up for a particular ſervice (as he did Jehu to deſtroy the houſe of Ahab, and the houſe of Baal) and lay them aſide afterward for ever, as a veſſell in which there is no pleaſure, never to employ them in any honourable ſervice more.

2. God will give men up unto baſe and diſhonourable luſts; all ſins are abominable before God, and damnable in themſelves; but yet all are not alike diſhonourable before men: Rom. 1.26.Rom 1:26There are ſome foreign vile affections, which make men hatefull amongſt all men. By reſtraining grace luſts may be p. 35kept in a long time, and men may have Neronis quinquennium, and yet afterward proove humani generis opprobrium, the ſhame of mankind, as he did. Men may ſtand for ſtars a great while, looked on as lights, and admired by all, yet afterward be ſwept downe by the Dragons taile, and appeare to be but Meteors; the matter being ſpent by which they were fed, they fall downe to the earth, and appeare no more. Paraphreſt. Chald. Muis. Moller. Pſal. 55.13.Ps 55:13Achitophel was faithfull to David, it ſeemes in his former time, of whom it is conceived by ſome, that he ſpeakes when he calls him, his guid and his familiar freind, with whom he took ſweet counſell, and yet he was afterward given over to diſhonour himſelfe, and his hand was found to be with Abſalon in that unnaturall rebellion. And Abiathar was faithfull to David againſt Saul (being it may be engaged by a particular diſpleaſure; the cruell murder of his Fathers houſe, by the hand of Doeg at Sauls command) and yet he afterward prooved falſe to Solomon in the conſpiracy of Adonijah. There is unto every falſe heart a foreign. Luc. 8.13.Luke 8:13an opportunity of temptation, and then he falls at the ſtumbling blocke of his iniquity.

3. God will caſt them out of the hearts, and out of the prayers of his people. Its threatned againſt the Idole Shepheard, Zach. 11.17. Brachium pro potentia & forti auxilia accipitur. Glaſſ. Rhetor. ſacr. p. 343.Zech 11:17(the title belongs both to Magiſtrates and Miniſters; though the ſcope here carries it rather to the former) his arme withering ſhall wither, and his right eye ſhall be put out. By the arme is meant that ruling power and authority that he as a Governour had among the people; and all that ſtrength and aſſiſtance in government that he received thereby; p. 36and this ſhall utterly decay, his ruling power in the hearts of the people ſhall utterly periſh, and they that did formerly cleave to him, ſhall fall from him; and his wiſedome alſo ſhall periſh, and he ſhall be given up to fooliſh and hurtfull luſts, unto his owne deſtruction, and the ſcourge of the Nation. So the ten Kings that were as it were the right hand unto the beaſt, Reu. 17.16.17.Rev 17:16Rev 17:17giving their power and their Kingdomes to him, for his advancement, this arme of his ſhall wither, they ſhall withdraw themſelves, hate the whore, make her deſolate, and eate her fleſh, and burne her with fire. So Jo. 15.6. If a man abide not in me, he is caſt forth as a branch and is withered. There are ſeverall ejections here intended (as Interpreters obſerve) but theſe two are the cheife. Separatio ab interiori cum Chriſto & Eccleſia communione ordine naturae precedit ſeparationem ab exteriori cum E… cleſia communione. Gerhard. Har….1. Ab interiori ſanctorum communione per ſeperationem ſpiritualem. 2 Ab exteriori communione per publicam Apoſtaſian. A ſeperation in the hearts of Gods people, by a ſecret and ſpirituall alienation; and then an outward ſeperation by manifeſt Apoſtacy; an inward excommunication commonly goes before an outward: Men are firſt caſt out of the hearts and prayers of the Saints: God takes off the edge of their ſpirits from them in a ſecret way, and then there is nothing that they doe is accepted of the Saints, but a ſpirit of jealouſie and ſuſpition attends them, and nothing is well taken or well interpreted of them.

4. After this life their names ſhall rot, they ſhall goe out in a ſnuffe, and their memory ſhall not be bleſſed. They ſhall have a note of infamy mentioned with them, and how ever they have carried it faire here, yet ſhall be known to be as they are. This is Jeroboam p. 37the Son of Nebat that made Iſrael to ſin. This is that Ahaz who ſold himſelfe to worke wickedneſſe in the ſight of the Lord. This is Iudas Iſcariot who alſo was the traitour. Here feare or flattery may keepe mens names from ſtinking publikely for a while: But after this life, when theſe ſhall be remooved, a note of diſgrace and publique infamy ſhall be ſpred upon their names for ever.

5. God will diſhonour them in their ſeede, and caſt them out as evill, that they ſhall be to the ſhame of their Fathers houſe. This was the judgement threatned upon Elyes family: The man of thine houſe that ſhall not be cut off from mine Altar ſhall be to conſume thine eyes, and to greive thine heart: And every one that is left in thine houſe ſhal come and crouch for a peece of ſilver, and a morſell of bread; and ſhall ſay, put me into one of the Prieſts Offices, that I may eate a peece of bread. For the Lord hath ſayd, the ſeed of evill doers ſhall not be renowned, Eſay. 14.20.

Having thus finiſhed the explication of the Text; only the Application remaines, which I ſhall caſt into one uſe of exhortation, to you Right Honourable, whom God hath exalted in this Nation.

If yee deſire to be truly honourable, let Gods honour be precious in your eyes: If you feare a blot in your name, a ſtaine in your coate, doe not ſet light by the things of God, Eſay. 5.13. foreign Gloria… Mont. Qui vult eſſ… ſibi & non ti… nihil eſſe intipit inter omnia, Ber.Isa 5:13for they that deſpiſe him ſhall be lightly eſteemed. The Nobility is the glory of a Nation, wee deſire that no ſhame may be be caſt upon our glory, that our ſilver become not droſſe, nor our wine be mixed with water. Herein true honour and greatnes lyes, when the things of God are great in our eſteeme, p. 38and Gods honour is exalted by us, and when a man fals from this he begins to be nothing, though he be the greateſt Monarch of the earth.

To enforce this exhortation, I ſhall only adde theſe conſiderations, and conclude.

1. A man may have the higheſt honour upon earth, yet he may be before God, and all the Saints a vile perſon: foreign deſpectu….So is Antiochus, though a Prince, called Dan. 11.21. Its an eſpeciall manifeſtation of the ſoveraignty of God, that he rules in the Kingdomes of mortall men & gives them to whomſoever he will, Dan. 4.17.Dan 4:17& ſets over them the baſeſt of men. If a man exalt not God, he hath nothing in him that is honourable, and all the honour that he hath is but vaine glory, Act. 25.23. foreign Eccleſ. 10.6.7.Acts 25:23Eccl 10:6Eccl 10:7a fancy, and no more. It was one of the vanities that Solomon ſaw under the Sun: Folly is ſet in great dignity, and ſervants are on horſe-backe, when Princes walke as ſervants on the earth. Men of ſervile ſpirits, and ſervile luſts are advanced, and men of Princely ſpirits remaine in low place: This outward honour will never ſet a man up with God, and his Saints; they only that are precious in his ſight, may be called honourable. And this is a ſure rule, Tantus quiſ que eſt, quantus eſt apud Deum, all true honour is that which comes from God only.

2. A man may be honourable in this life, and miſerable in the life to come. Prov. 21.16. A man that wandereth out of the way of underſtanding ſhall remain in the congregation of the dead. foreign Medes Diatrib. In Pro. 21.16. of the ancient name of Hell. p. 136.Prov 21:16The word is rendered by a learned Criticke of our owne, in Catu Gigantum, referring us unto, Gen. 6.4. where thoſe ancient Rebells againſt God are mentioned, whoſe p. 39wickedneſſe was ſo great upon the earth, that the Lord repented that he had made man, and to take vengeance upon them, he brought the flood upon the world of the ungodly; they periſhing in their wickedneſſe, and going downe to the place of the damned; Hell received it ancient denomination from theſe ancient Inhabitants, and it is called the place of the Giants, and all that ever periſh ſince are to goe downe to them to the ſame place: Now theſe were in the earth, men of renowne, men of honour, and of name; and yet they are gone unto that place of torment. And of all men in the world, none will periſh with ſo much ſcorne and deriſion as they. As meane men may creepe out of the world to their graves with leſſe noiſe; ſo they goe to hell with leſſe obſervation. Eſay. 14 9. When the King of Babylon dyes, Hell from beneath is mooved for thee, to met thee at thy comming; it ſtirreth up the dead (or the Gyants) for thee even all the chiefe ones of the earth. foreignAnd they all ſay unto him with ſcorne and deriſion, How art thou fallen from Heaven, Oh great Lucifer Son of the morning? &c.

3. Lay theſe concluſions firmely in your ſpirits. 1. By ſtrength ſhall no man prevaile. 1 Sam. 2.9. The word foreign which wee tranſlate ſtrength, Prov. 5.10. Hoſe. 7.9. Adſumenta omnia & adminicula, quibus pollere fibi videtur Cal.Prov 5:10Hos 7:9ſignifies not only ſtrength and vigour of body, but alſo of minde, in wiſdome, learning, policy, or outwardly in honour or eſtate, and the Lord hath layd downe this for a Decree, let a man be never ſo great in all theſe, yet he ſhall not be ſtrong or prevaile in any of his enterprizes by them. For God hath no pleaſure in the legs of a man, Pſal. 147.10. where by legs is meant any p. 40thing in which a man is ſtrong, Qu… ſuis viribus nittunur. Minſ.and that wherein he may put his truſt, whether ſtrength of body or abilities of mind, riches or honours or any outward excellency whatſoever, God hath no pleaſure in them, nor in the man becauſe of them.

2 By iniquity ſhall no man be eſtabliſhed. Prov. 12.3. A man may exalt himſelfe, and mount up unto the higheſt ſtep of all worldly honour and greatneſſe by wayes of bribery and blood; he may build his houſe by unrighteouſneſſe, Jer. 22.13.14. Metaphora ducta eſt ab arb… ribus, quae altè & profunde in terram demerſae non facitè moventur. Car t….Jer 22:13Jer 22:14and his chambers by wrongs, encloſe himſelfe in Cedar, painted with vermilion, and thinke his poſterity ſhall endure for ever, and call the Land after his owne name; but they ſhall not be eſtabliſhed, that is, as the oppoſition ſhewes, not take roote as the righteous doe, their roote ſhall be rottenneſſe; a worme and a curſe is at the roote: God bringeth Princes to nothing, Eſay. 40.24.Isa 40:24he maketh the Iudges of the earth as vanity, they ſhall not be planted, yea they ſhall not be ſowne; yea their ſtocke ſhall not take roote in the earth. As the pleaſure of ſin is but for a ſeaſon; ſo the profit of it is not laſting: A lying tongue is but for a moment. Prov. 12.19.

3. Thoſe that walke in pride he is able to abaſe, Dan. 4.37. he delights to doe it. And wee have cauſe to feare, that the Lord of Hoſts hath purpoſed to ſtaine the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honour able of the earth, Eſay. 23.8.

4. No man knowes how ſoone yee may lay downe your honour. All things here below are compared unto wheeles Ezech. 1.16. in perpetuo motu, full of turnings and changes. The ſtory of Seſoſtris the King of Aegypt related by Polanus upon this place is famous, p. 41who rode in a triumphant chariot drawne by foure captive Kings; of whom one was obſerved alwaies to looke backe upon the wheele that followed him, and being asked the reaſon why he looked behind him? He anſwered to obſerve, quam citò ſumma fiunt ima; how ſoone that which is higheſt becomes the loweſt: A meditation which would be as fit a corrective to men in great places. Wee have lived to ſee great changes; Zach. 4 7. Eſay. 30.25. Hoſe. 10.7. Eſay. 5.9.Zech 4:7Isa 30:25Hos 10:7Isa 5:9Mountaines made Plaines, Towers fall, Princes cut off as the foame upon the waters, many houſes made deſolate, even great and faire without an Inhabitant. 2. Kings 27.26.27. Notwithſtanding the Lord turned not from the fierceneſſe of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled againſt Iudah, becauſe of all the provocations that Manaſſeth had provoked him withall. Zeph. 1.2.3. Scimus tunc purgetam ſuiſſe terram ſuperſtitionibus &c. Sed notandum eſt, etiamſi ex animo Ioſias Deum coleret tamen populum non fu…ſſe converſum, quemadmodum ſaepe comigit, ut Deus excitet optimos, anteſignanos, ſed pauci aut ferè nulli eos ſequantur, quin potiùs omnes detrectent obſequium. Cal.Zeph 1:2Zeph 1:3And the Lord ſaid I will remoove Iudah alſo out of my ſight as I have remooved Iſrael. And I will cut off this City Ieruſalem, which I have choſen, and the houſe of which I ſaid my name ſhall be there.

If wee looke into the Propheſie of Zephany (the Title of which refers us unto the dayes of Joſiah) and compare it with this Scripture forementioned, wee ſhall ſee ſeveral cauſes why notwithſtanding the reformation, the Lord turned not from the fierceneſſe of his wrath againſt Iudah; but ſaith I will utterly conſume all things from off the Land. I will conſume man and beaſt: I will conſume the foules of heaven, and the fiſhes of the ſea, and the ſtumbling blockes with the wicked; I will cut off man from off the land, ſaith the Lord. Here is the greateſt deſolation threatned after the greateſt reformation. 1. It was compulſory, p. 42and not voluntary; though the Kings heart was right with God, and ſome haply of them that acted under him, yet it was forced upon the generallity of the people, who hated it, and did in heart cleave to their old way of Idolatry ſtill, a remnant of Baal there was among them, and Chemarims alſo, them that worſhipped the hoſt of heaven, that ſware by the Lord, and by Malcham &c. The reformation was ſuch, that openly no remnants of Baal did remaine, Reliquiae … non conſpici… bantur in Temple, ne que in ſacellis, ſed cl… …eſtina impietas bîc detegitur. Videntur bi 70 …uiſſe Senatores Concili… Sanbedrim. &c. A. L…p. in Ezech.but the Lord ſaw them to be in the hearts of the people, they were ſtill carryed after that way of worſhip: And not the ordinary ſort of people only, but many of the Ancients (or Senators and Princes) of the houſe of Iſrael, and this not openly, but in the darke, in the ſetret chambers of their imagery, Ezech. 8.11.12. for this cauſe the Lord turned not from the fierceneſſe of his wrath againſt Iudah.

2. Their reformation was but outward and Eccleſiaſticall not perſon all, of the Church in ſome outward things, not of the State or the men. Their Princes were roaring Lions, Zeph. 1.8. & 3, 3.4.Zeph 1:8Zeph 3:3Zeph 3:4and the Iudges evening Wolves: Their Prophets light and treacherous perſons, that polluted the Sanctuary, and did violence to the Law. The Princes, the Kings children, were cloathed in ſtrange apparrell: And the ſervants did leape upon the threſhold, filling their Maſters houſe with violence and deceit.

3. Their were old ſins that kept the wrath of God on fire againſt thē, which though now reformed, yet never publikely repented of: the ſins of Manaſſch; ſins of Rulers may be pardoned to the men, and yet viſited upon the Land, and theſe old ſins paſt, long ago. For p. 43theſe cauſes the Lord turned not from the fierceneſſe of his anger againſt Iudah, and all their reformation was but a lightning before their utter deſtruction. And when wee finde the ſame things among us; An outward reformation by the ſtrength of Authority carryed on, but hated by the people generally, and their hearts turning backe into Egypt: and to this adde the fearfull and Manaſſch-like old abominations, that yet remaine upon our ſcore, and wee have cauſe to feare that God for all our reformation, (which wee bleſſe him for, and acknowledge for the time to be very great) hath a Notwithſtanding for England, as he had for Judah.

Which is the more to be conſidered, if wee obſerve in what juncture of time wee live. Wee reade Rev. 11.3. of witneſſes, ſc. thoſe that have given teſtimony for Chriſt againſt Antichriſt ever ſince that great Apoſtacy. Called two, partly for their paucity, and partly in alluſion unto the Propheſie, Zach. 4.11. from whence the expreſſion is taken; theſe are the two olive-trees, the two annointed ones ſtanding before the God of the earth. And yet they are two for the ſufficiency of their teſtimony: for by the mouth of two or three witneſſes every word ſhall be eſtabliſhed. And theſe are to Propheſie (in their ſeverall times and ages ſucceſſively) in ſackcloath a thouſand two hundred and threeſcore dayes: Which is the ſame proportion of time that the outward Court … given to the Gentiles (ſc. theſe Chriſtians in profeſſion, but Gentiles in religion) to be troden under foots, ver. 2. and therefore they are made Contemporaryes: For as ſoone as Antichriſt aroſe, perſecution began, and ſo much of p. 44Antichriſt as remaines among any people, ſo much perſecution there will ſutely be; for the woman rides upon a ſcarlet coloured beaſt. And after this long and afflicted condition ſhall be the ſaddeſt perſecution of the Church, and the higheſt hopes, and the greateſt expectations of the enemy that ever they had: And then cum duplicantur lateres, veniet Moſes, then ſhall the great deliverance be.

And there are foure Reaſons which cauſe me to conceive, (yet withall humility and ſubmiſſion) that this time of killing the witneſſes is yet to come.

1. They muſt Propheſie in ſackcloath a thouſand two hundred and threſcore dayes before they be ſlaine, and I cannot yet be ſatisfied that this time of their Propheſie is accompliſhed, and therefore their killing is yet to come. The Rule that wee have to guide us herein, is, that Antichriſts forty and two moneths doe ſynchronize with this time of the Propheſie of the witneſſes, and therefore when Antichriſt began to reigne, they began to propheſie. Now the Apoſtle Paul, 2. Theſ. 2.7.8. ſpeaking of the riſing of Antichriſt, ſaith, he that now letteth will let till he be taken out of the way, and then ſhall that wicked be revealed.

This foreign is commonly expounded by Ancient and Moderne Divines to be the Romane Empire, Irenaeus.and as ſoone as that Imperiall Soveraignty of Rome was taken out of the way; Tertul…de reſ…r. tarn. c. 24.then that wicked one was revealed. Ambroſ…n 2. Theſ. 2.2 Thess 2This alſo is confeſſed by the Papiſts themſelves, that he that letteth, is the Romane Empire, therefore together with his taking out of the way, then did Antichriſt riſe, Chryſoſt.and that lawleſſe perſon, p. 45foreign (as Juſtin Martyr calls him) was revealed and did appeare to the world, Whitaker, de Antichriſt.which is fully explaned, Rev. 17.12. Downham of Antichriſt. l. 1. c. 3. Bellarm. de Rom. Pont. capt. 13. A Lap. in loc.The ten hornes are ten Kings, which have received no Kingdome as yet; but receive power as Kings one houre with the beaſt. At the ſame time when the Empyre was broken, and thoſe that were only Viceroyes under it, did begin to take to themſelves the Power and the Title of Kings, and to reigne abſolutely and independently upon the Empyre: Now did the beaſt receive his power, now he that letted was taken out of the way, and now the wicked one was revealed. If therefore wee can learne when the Empyre was divided, and the ten Kings aroſe, Mede in Apot. c. 8 p. 78.from that time wee are to begin the forty and two moneths. There were indeed ſeverall degrees of the Empyres downfall: Attalus a Gothis Imperator effectus eſt. Paul. Ʋiacon. c. 14.Some refer it to the time when Alaricus the Goth firſt tooke Rome, and ſacked it, and they created a new Emperour therein, which was about the yeere 410. or as ſome 412. This indeed made way for the comming of Antichriſt, and therefore Ierome hearing of this taking of Rome, Praefat. l. 1 commentan Ezech. Ita Romanorum apud Romam Imperium toto terrarum orbe venerabile & Auguſtalis illa ſublimitas, quae ab Auguſto quondam Octaviano erecta eſt, cum hoc Auguſtulo periit. Paul. Diacon. l. 16.did preſently expect that Antichriſt ſhould ariſe. Poſtquā clariſsimū terrarum omnium lumen extinctum eſt, imò Romani Imperij truncatum caput, & in una urbe totus orbis interiit. But this never came to perfection to take him that letted out of the way till Genſericus the Vandall tooke Rome the ſecond time and plundered it utterly, and then fired it, this was about the yeer 455. & then the ten Kings aroſe. If wee adde thereunto a thouſand two hundred & 60 daies, it will appeare that the time of the propheſying of the witneſſes, in ſackcloth is p. 46not yet expired, and therefore the time of their killing yet to come.

2. When the witneſſes are ſlaine, Antichriſts party ly ſhall come to a great height of ſecurity, Ceſſante jain Romana Vrius Imperio &c. l. 17.and they ſhall glory in their death, rejoyce over them, make merry, and ſend gifts one to another, becauve theſe two Prophets tormented them that dwell on the earth, Rev. 11.10. Conſitetur ſe Apoſtatam eſſe ſed beatum & ſanctum, qui fidem Diabolo dutam non ſervav…t. Luth.But ſince the Angel did fly in the midſt of heaven with the everlaſting Goſpell in his hand, ſince that glorious departure, and bleſſed Apoſtacy (as he himſelfe calls it) that Luther made from the Church of Rome, wee reade of no ſuch perfect victory that ever they had over the reformed Chriſtians, that they thought all ſafe, and therefore did ſend gifts one to another as perfectly ſecure.

3. When the witneſſes ſhall ariſe from the dead, then the tenth part of the City ſhall fall: Which cannot be meant as ſome have thought, of the fall of the power of Antichriſt in ſome one of the ten Kingdomes: But is ſpoken of Romes laſt and utter deſtruction ſpeedily to follow, called foreign the tenth part, Mede. Clav. Apoc. in cap. 11. v. 13.becauſe that which now remaines, is but decima pars Civitatis antiquae, the tenth part of what the ancient City was. For the fall of Antichriſt ends with the ſixth Trumpet, Mede. Syncro…. p. 18.or the ſecond woe: And as ſoone as the tenth part of the City is fallen, it is ſaid the ſecond wee is paſt: Rev. 11.14.Rev 11:14And immediately the ſeventh Trumpet ſounded, and then all the enemies being ſubdued, the Kingdomes of the world become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Chriſts, Rev. 10.7.Rev 10:7and then the myſtery of God is finiſhed. Now becauſe wee ſee not the City to fall; but yet expect by faith, Babylon to p. 47be caſt as a Milſtone into the ſea; therefore the ſlaying of the witneſſes, with their reſurrection is not paſt, but to come.

4. If wee looke to the Text, it is then to be expected or feared, when the Church of God doth flouriſh moſt, and hath gotten the greateſt victory over the Antichriſtian party that ever; that as the deſtruction of the one is neereſt when they are moſt ſecure; ſo is the ſlaying of the other when they have the greateſt expectations of a full deliverance. Therfore foreign when they had finiſhed, is not to be rendered cum finierint, but cum finituri ſint, Mede. Clav. p. 136.when they were about to finiſh their teſtimony: ſc. when they had got great ground againſt Antichriſt, and men began to repent of their drinking of the wine of her fornication, and to hate the whore: And the Temple of God was purged, and a great Reformation was begun; now had the witneſſes peace and inlargement in ſome meaſure, and they began gratulabundi ſaccum exuere, to caſt off their ſackcloth, and expect on the enemy an utter ruine; thinking he had received a deadly wound that could never more be healed. Yet at this time ſhall Antichriſt gather all his ſcattered and broken forces, and ſhall with greater fury make war upon the Saints and overcome them, and kill them, exerciſe greater cruelty over them then ever, he did in times paſt; but it ſhall be ſhort, though it be ſharpe.

I could be glad to tell you that this ſad calamity is paſt, that our iniquity is pardoned, and our warfare accompliſhed, for Lord thou knoweſt I have not deſired the wofull day. But theſe conſiderations make me to p. 48conclude with that learned Interpreter ſo often quoted, cladem iſtam noviſsimam adhuc metuendam, that wee have cauſe to feare that this laſt and great affliction of the Church in the killing of the witneſſes, is yet to come. And if it be, what a comfort will it be to a man when he ſhall lay downe his honour, and when they that formerly honoured him outwardly, ſhall deſpiſe him, then to be able to reflect upon his former wayes, and ſay, Lord I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and I layd out mine honour for thee while I did enjoy it?

5. The laſt direction that I ſhall humbly commend to you in the concluſion, is. Take heed of thoſe ſins eſpecially, that will ſet God againſt you, to cauſe you to be lightly eſteemed, and will ſurely lay your honour in the duſt.

1. Take heed of ſelfe exaltation, ſelfe adoration, and ſtanding too much upon ſelfe Intereſt; for the hautineſſe of man ſhall be bowed downe, and the loftines of man ſhall be layd low, that God alone may be exalted. This honours Moſes to poſterity, that though he was a Prince in Iſrael; Ante occupationem Hieroſolymorum a Davide factam Arauna Iebuſitarum Rex fuerar. Poſtea verò regno ſe abdicans religionem Iſrae. i. cam fuerat amplexus. Irea nomen Regis ipſi remanſit. Graſſ. Gram. ſacr. p. 8.yet his Family was laid aſide, and Joſhua his ſervant exalted, and yet Moſes muſt put his honour upon him, that all the Congregation of Iſrael may be obedient to him. Numb. 27.20. And this is recorded to the honour of Araunah, 2. Sam. 24.23. though it is conceived he was anciently King in Jeruſalem over the Jebuſites, whom David ſubdued and caſt out; yet being now converted, and become a Proſelyte to the Jewes, he did ſo far caſt away all his former intereſt, and the thoughts of it, that in the publique calamity he received David p. 49with a great deale of love and enlargement of ſpirit, manifeſting that though he had loſt the title, Eſay. 14.19.20. Rex habet in poteſtare liget & conſtitutiones & aſſiſas in Regno ſuo proviſas & approbatas & juratas; ipſe in propria perſona ſua obſervet, & a ſubditis ſuis faciat obſervari. Et eſt Corona Regis facere juſtitiam & judicium, & tenere pacem ſine quibus Corona conſiſtere non poteſt nec tenere. Bracton de leg. & conſuetud. Angl. l. 2. c. 24. Quod Reges Angliae aegrè ferentes, putantes ſe non liberè dominari in ſubditos; moliti ſunt ipſe Progenitores tui hoc jugum politicum abjicere ut ipſi in ſubjectum populum regaliter tantum dominari, ſed potius debacchari queant. Forteſc. de Cand. leg. Angl. c. 34. p. 78.Isa 14:19Isa 14:20yet he had received a Princely ſpirit, and retained that ſtill.

2. Take heed of Oppreſſion, this brought the great diſhonour upon the King of Babylon, that he ſhould be caſt out of his grave as an abhominable branch, and not be joyned with the Kings of the Nations in buriall, becauſe he had deſtroyed his Land, and ſlaine his people. Therefore ſee that yee breake every yoake, and untie every burden, that the Subjects may have no cauſe to complaine that their yoakes are only changed. Wee are told, that in England our Rulers are not above our Lawes, but bound to rule by them, as well as the Subject to obey them; and in this their ſtrength, glory, and authority conſiſts.

And wee finde it taxed as a common evill deſigne, that hath been long on foote in the Government of this Nation, that the Kings did deſire to caſt off the Rule of Law, and to governe by Prerogative in an Arbitrary way, that in the end their wills might become Lawes, and they might command and require what they liſt. This I ſay hath beene condemned as an evill in former ages, and this will be found as an evill in Government in all thoſe that ſucceed, under what name or title ſoever it be; for ſurely God did not make men to be like the fiſhes of the Sea that have no King: Let every one of you (Right Honourable) but upon higher, even Goſpel Principles, ſay as Tiberius did, Aurum illud adulterinum eſt, quod cum ſubditorum lachrimis collectum eſt. That will never prove currant coine to the Ruler, that is gathered with the teares, much leſſe when it is with the blood of the Subjects.

p. 503 Do not ſet your ſelves againſt the power of godlineſſe, but countenance and advance it. Let not circumſtantiall differences cauſe ſubſtantiall diviſions. Mar. 9.18.Mark 9:18It was a ſinfull humour in the Diſciples, wee ſaw one caſting out Devills in thy name, and wee forbad him, becauſe he followed not us. Surely Gods people whereſoever they come, they are either as Dew upon the graſſe, Mich. 5.7. Zach. 12.6.Mic 5:7Zech 12:6or as a Torch in a ſheafe: Either to make them fruitfull or conſume them. Let nothing be done by you (I beſeech you) that may proove a ſeede of perſecution, beyond your intentions in after times. You know not into what hands the actings of thoſe things may come which you ſhall enact, how far againſt godlineſſe in the power of it they may be ſtretched, and what uſe may be made of them in time to come. Wee reade Rev. 8.11. of a great ſtar that fell from heaven, and the name of that ſtar was called Wormwood. The fall of great perſons is in Scripture commonly expreſſed by the falling of a Star, as Eſay. 14 12. the fall of the King of Babylon is. And to be called in Scripture is to be, and to be publikely knowne to be: As they ſhall call his name Immanuel; Math. 1.2 3. …er. 23.6.Matt 1:2This is the name whereby he ſhall be called Iehovah our righteouſneſſe, ſc. this he ſhall be, and this he ſhall be commonly knowne to be. This Prince his name ſhall be called wormwood, Princeps amaritudinum, one bitter in his ſpirit; unhappy and unſuccesfull in his Government, both to himſelfe and his Subjects. And be ſure of this: If any Star be it of never ſo great a magnitude, and never ſo high an elevation, if it be called wormwood, it will fall.

FINIS.

End of the text · William Strong, The Way to the Highest Honor (1647)